THE PORT AUTHORITY OF NY & NJ

Press Release Article

AIRTRAIN JFK TO UNDERGO STATE-OF-GOOD-REPAIR OVERHAUL

Date: Sep 05, 2013Press Release Number: 91-2013

Port Authority will put free bus fleet in place to minimize impacts to travelers

AirTrain JFK will get a system-wide overhaul in the coming weeks to ensure the 10-year-old line is ready for its second decade of low-cost, convenient service for passengers traveling between terminals at John F. Kennedy International Airport and the Jamaica and Howard Beach station links to commuter railroad and subway lines.

The need to replace track switches, the system’s operational software and train control equipment will require lengthy shutdowns of AirTrain JFK, both partial and complete track outages, beginning September 7 through mid-October. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will deploy dozens of shuttle buses over the next six weeks to help minimize inconvenience for travelers who normally use AirTrain JFK.

Buses will take travelers from the Jamaica and Howard Beach rail stations to Federal Circle for transfer to buses to individual terminals when the entire system is closed. Buses also will take travelers between Federal Circle and the Central Terminal Area when partial track closures are in effect. Customer Care Representatives will help guide travelers onto the buses for travel to and from their desired airline terminals. There will be no charge for the buses, nor for the AirTrain JFK when the partial track closures are in effect.

By doing the work in September, typically one of the airport’s lighter travel months, the Port Authority is able to minimize inconvenience to fliers at JFK during the peak summer travel season. To coincide with the lighter travel period, the agency also has scheduled another improvement project that will require the closure of the JFK Expressway into the Central Terminal Area (CTA) this weekend and next weekend as steel is erected for a replacement bridge above the roadway. This will necessitate that drivers use the Van Wyck Expressway instead into the airport to access the CTA.

The Port Authority recognizes the importance of AirTrain and the JFK Expressway to travelers, but asks patrons for patience during this important initiative to keep AirTrain JFK and the JFK Expressway safe and reliable for years to come. Fliers are urged to leave extra time to get to and from the airport during the improvements. Where possible, work will be confined to the evening and overnight hours.

Saturday, September 7 and Sunday, September 8: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. AirTrain JFK closure from Federal Circle to the Central Terminal Area and the Central Terminal Area Loop that serves all airline terminals.

Saturday, September 14: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. AirTrain JFK closure from Federal Circle to the Central Terminal Area and the Central Terminal Area Loop that serves all airline terminals.

Sunday, September 15 through Wednesday, September 18, from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. each night: Full AirTrain JFK closure.

Saturday, September. 21: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. AirTrain JFK closure from Federal Circle to the Central Terminal Area and the Central Terminal Area Loop that serves all airline terminals.

Monday, September 30 at 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, October 4 ay, : Around-the-clock AirTrain JFK closure from Federal Circle to the Central Terminal Area and the Central Terminal Area Loop that serves all airline terminals.

Wednesday, October 9 at 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. Thursday, October 10: Full AirTrain JFK closure.

Wednesday, October 16 at 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. Thursday, October 17: Full AirTrain JFK closure.

The following is the current, tentative JFK Expressway closure schedule:

Friday, Sept. 6 at 10 p.m. though Sunday, Sept. 8 at 6 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 13 at 10 p.m. though Sunday, Sept. 15 at 6 p.m.

CONTACT: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey 212-435-7777

Founded in 1921, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey builds, operates, and maintains many of the most important transportation and trade infrastructure assets in the country. The agency’s network of aviation, ground, rail, and seaport facilities is among the busiest in the country, supports more than 550,000 regional jobs, and generates more than $23 billion in annual wages and $80 billion in annual economic activity. The Port Authority also owns and manages the 16-acre World Trade Center site, where construction crews are building the iconic One World Trade Center, which is now the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere. The Port Authority receives no tax revenue from either the State of New York or New Jersey or from the City of New York. The agency raises the necessary funds for the improvement, construction or acquisition of its facilities primarily on its own credit. For more information, please visit http://www.panynj.gov.